Water-color sketching easel



Feb. 19, 1952 sc u 2,586,097

WATER COLOR SKETCHING EASEL Filed March 1, 1946 INVENTOR. LEONARD SCH EUATTORN EYS Patented Feb. 19, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFl-(ZEWATER-001.03 SKETGHIN'GEASEL LeonardSclieii', Laguiia new, Calif.

Application March -1, 1946y Serial Not-651.321 3 Claims. (01. 248-197)This inventionrelat'es to awatercolor sketching easel. and has forone-oi its objects tlieprovisiori ofan easelthat is adapted to support asketchboard horizontal and at any desired angle relative to horizontal.

Another object of i the invention is a watercolorsketching. easel thatis light, rugged, stable, and that is adapted v to be collapsed tocompact form disposed substantially one plane. A--stillfurther object ofthe invention is a watercolor sketching easelth at prov-idesa-horizontal plane to'work upon, irrespective of the fact that theground supporting it may be inclined, and which easel includes asketchboard support that is adapted'to be quickly swung todifferent-,positionszforchanging the angle of the sketchboard.

, An additional object of the invention is the provision of a watercolorsketching easel that is compact, light, strong, adjustable to carrydifferent sized sketching. boards, and that provides for instantswingingof the'sketching board-to any desired .angle about a horizontal axis andfor holding such board in the desired angle.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description anddrawings.

Ordinarily watercolor sketching and painting involves the layingiofw'a'shes in which horizontal and tilted positions of the sketchboard isessential. At times the sketchboard must be tilted to a greater degreethan at other times and usually the tilting must-became instantly andthe board must remain inthe -desired tilted'position. The board must bestable in itstilted or horizontal positions and free: from wobble. Theeasel of this invention is adapted to hold the sketchboard stable inhorizontal :or various tilted positions; and at the same time theoperator may instantly change the tilt of the board. Also thefeasel ofthis invention is light in weight, cheap-to make. extremely rugged; andcompact, all. of 'which are essential to a 'sketchingl easel, inasmuchas the artist manytim'es must carry the easel and-his other materialsover rough terrain.

In the drawings, I

Fig.1 is 'afi'ontsideview"otah easel illustrative of the invention,which easel is shown in collapsed position, the sketch board beingindicated in dot-dash line.

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the easel of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken along line 3-3of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view along line 4-4 ofFig. 1.

Fig.5"is a greatly reduced 'view' showing" the easel-set up and showing.in dash lines various positions of the support for the sketchboard'relative to horizontal. I I

In. detail, the easel illustrated comprises a pair of' generallyU-shaped legsgenerally designated 1* and 2: These legs are preferably ofthsame shape each includinga closed end portion 3 and sidesfll. The endsof the closed'end'por'tions 3 may beslightly projected outwardly, as at5, relative to the sides 4f adjacent thereto for a purpose laterdescribed.

The free ends of legs I, 2" are pivotall-ys- 'cured together by bolts 6(Figs- 2, 3') and the leg l is slightly smaller than leg {so that'it maybeswung to a nested position within the U of leg 2 and; coplanar withthe latter leg as seen iii Between the free ends ofthe legs'is an an}nular member 1. The bolts 6- extend through said member at diametricallyopposite pointson the latter thereby pivotally supportingaid'meinbersbetween said free ends for swinging aboiit the-axis of said bolts. Thusmember 1 maybe swung to coplanar relationship-with the" legs whentheeasel :is collapsed. I

An 'elorrgated board ll is secured tothe annular members I in a positionextendingtransversely of-the-axis oi bolts-6 and across: one s-ideo fsaid member in a plane substantially parallel withthe planein whicnsaidmemberis'disposed J Theboardis slotted longitudinally at;9 H1 atopposite ends for-bolts l I, [2 that extend through saidslots--respectively;- Clampingelements l3 it are respectivelysecured'tobolts H, l2, which elements== are in the formof stripsextending transversely across the boardi on the side of the latter thatfaces outwardly of member]. These strips are preferably rabbeted' at '15(Fig. 2) along their adjacent edges for receivingoppO- site edges of -asketching-board l6- (dot-dash line Figs.- 1, 2). The shoulder l]definingpne side of therabbeted' edge holds the sketchboard to the board8-rand thumbnutslfi on bolts II, I? may be tightened when; thesketchboard is clamped between'elements I3, l4 for holding mea er inclamping. postion. i

As seen in Fig. 2, the legs I, 2 may be swung apart for supporting theboard 8 between the upper ends thereof. The projections 5 engage theground at spaced points to prevent any tendency of the legs to rock onthe ground should the latter be uneven. The board 8 and member I may beswung as a unit oppositely between the free upper ends of the legs tovarious inclined positions relative to horizontal as indicated in dashlines 20, 2|. Any desired degree of incline of board 8 (and consequentlythe sketchboard thereon) is possible between and beyond the positionsindicated in dash lines. The legs I, 2 alone limit the degree ofinclination, but the sketchboard is practically never swung to thesemaximum limits.

In order to insure against accidental swinging of the member I and board8 including the sketch board, the bolts 6 are kept relatively tight, anda spring friction washer 22 (Fig. 3) may be provided on the bolt tomaintain the desired frictional resistance to movement of the member 1relative to the legs, as well as to resist accidental swinging of thelegs relatively.

The legs I, 2 are preferably channel strips with the open sides facingoutwardly relative to the space between the sides of the legs, and theannular member 1 is also preferably a channel strip with its open sidefacing radially inwardly. Nuts 23 on bolts 6 lie between the sides ofthe channel strip forming the annular member I and are held by saidsides against turning.

' The means for securing the board 8 to member 1 may comprise segmentalclamps 25 on bolts 26 (Figs. 1, 4) that in turn are secured to board 8.These clamps may overlie one of the sides of the channel strip formingsaid member 8 and thumb nuts 21 on said bolts may hold the clamps in anydesired frictional engagement with said sides. Thus the board 8, andconsequently the sketchboard, may be revolved about the central axis ofthe member I and may be securely held to said member at any degree ofrevolution. Thus a wash may be started from a corner of the sketchboardand run diagonally across the latter,

or the course of the wash may be changed if desired.

The channel structure of the legs and member '1 insure against twistingof said legs and said member while permitting them to be of relativelylightweight material. v

Whenthe easel is collapsed to the position indicated in Fig.1, the oneend of board 8 terminates a substantial distance from the closed ends 3of the legs, thus enabling the closed ends to function as a handle forcarryin the easel, and if desired, the sketchboard may even remainsecured to the board 8.

In using the term sketchboard, I refer to the sketching paper, whetherin the form of illustration board, or a block of watercolor paper, or amounted sheet of watercolor paper, or any other relatively rigid sheet.

It is to be understood that the detailed description and drawings arenot to be considered restrictive of the invention, but merelyillustrative of a preferred form.

I claim: I

1. A watercolor sketching easel comprising a pair of U-shaped legspivotally secured together at their free ends and formed for swinging tocoplanar nested relationship with their closed endstogether and with oneof the legs within the U of the other, a support for holding asketchboard carried between said free ends of said legs and pivotallysecured thereto for swinging movement about an axis extending throughsaid ends, means for holding said support at different positions in itsswinging movement, and means on said support for releasably securing asketchboard thereto, said support including an annular member secured atdiametrically opposite points thereon to said legs and elements securedto said member engageable with opposite edges of such sketchboard andrevolvable about the central axis of said member to various positions onsaid member.

2. A sketching easel comprising a support for holding a sketchboard, anannular member on said support, means carried by said support forreleasably securing such sketchboard thereto in a position extendingacross one side of said support in a plane generally parallel with theplane in which said member is disposed, supporting legs for said memberpivotally secured thereto at points at'opposite sides of the latter forsupporting said member in a horizontal plane and for swinging inopposite directions about a horizontal axis to different angularpositions relative to horizontal, and means releasably securing saidsupport to said member for rotary movement of said support about thecentral axis of said member at any one of said angular positions.

3. A sketching easelcomprising a support for holding a sketchboard, anannular member on said support, means carried by said-support forreleasably securing such'sketchboardthereto in a position extendingacross one side of said support in a plane generally parallel with theplane in which said member is disposed, supporting legs for said memberpivotally secured thereto at points at opposite sides thereof forsupporting said member in a horizontal plane and for swinging inopposite directions about a horizontal axis to different angularpositions relative to horizontal, said support comprisin an elongatedstrip spaced between said points carrying said first mentioned means,and means for securing said strip to said member in various positionsabout the central axis of said member.

LEONARD SCI-IEU.

REFERENCES CIT ED The following references are of record in file of thispatent:

UNITED STATESYPATENTS Number the Date

